I’m often asked what someone should wear in NYC or Paris in a particular month of the year. This is virtually impossible to answer due to climate change. I need to have three seasons of clothing available in my closet at all times since the temperature vacillates so wildly from week to week. I was trying to help my friend Ana Mari Ortega plan what to pack for her trip to Paris tomorrow and I told her that she couldn’t fully plan until she saw the forecast right since it will most likely change and I was right. She’s going to have three seasons of weather in one long weekend trip. So all I can do is give you some ideas based on what I bought for fall and how I’ve been wearing things so far.

Wr’ve unfortunately had a lot of rain in October and this weekend will be no different. For rainy days around. 65-73, I’ve worn a variation of the same outfit, the black merino wool turtleneck sweater and matching black merino wool sweater skirt. (I size down one size in the skirt but the sweaters fit true to size.) It’s such a cozy and comfortable outfit for cooler temperatures and doesn’t wrinkle which is nice. The grey merino wool turtleneck sweater and matching grey merino wool sweater skirt is another option. Once I finally get the black power shoulder merino wool maxi dress hemmed, I can add that to my rotation.

The Toteme double-breasted cotton-blend gabardine trench coat is one of the best purchases I made last fall. It fits large so carefully check the measurements. I went down two sizes and maybe should have gone down three sizes. The gabardine fabric breathes well which means I don’t overheat and it’s wrinkle resistant so I look pulled together.

I was influenced by seeing Lauren Santo Domingo wear The Row Claudette point toe flats during fashion week and bought them for myself. They are very comfortable and I like that they have a little heel so I can wear with skirts and dresses in addition to trousers. I did actually wear them in the rain but I wasn’t walking all over town and I sprayed them first with Crep Shoe Protector Spray.

Depending on whether it was actually raining or just grey, I either carried my Khaite Leather Tote Bag and Balios Umbrella or my Hermès Kelly Bag and smaller Travel Umbrella that is just for emergencies.

I splurged on the Khaite Julius Small gold-plated earrings since I couldn’t find a less expensive version that I liked as much. They look great when my hair is pulled back on rainy days. The Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Inattendu is perfect for fall weather too.

Other trench coat options I like are the Water-Repellent Premium Trench Coat, the Belted Trench Coat, and the Timeless Trench Coat.

It’s hard to find a simple black dress in a nice fabric for events so I bought this Silk Maxi Dress for events. I still need to get it hemmed. If you need a black coat for winter, I like this Virgin Wool Coat or the less expensive Handmade Wool Coat. I didn’t really need another black dress but I also bought this Long-Sleeved Merino Wool Dress.

Also bought this grey Cashmere Sweater Dress with a lovely flouncy hem. Now I need to figure out what boots I’m buying for fall.

I’m happy with all my bags and probably won’t be buying anything else for fall but if you need a bag, these are my suggestions.

Top Row: Medium Leather Tote Bag in burgundy, Large Suede Tote in green, Buckled Leather Tote in burgundy

Middle Row: Large Leather Tote in taupe and Leather Bowling Bag in beige

Bottom Row: Khaite Circle Leather Tote Bag in caramel, Textured Leather Tote in black, and Suede and Intrecciato Leather Shoulder Bag in dark brown

It was colder this week but I missed it because I was home sick but it will be even chillier next week which is when I will pull out my grey wool trousers.

When the weather is still temperate, I love these charcoal Italian stretch wool blend slim crop pants that look good with any shoe. It looks like I’ll finally be able to wear the Chunky Cashmere V-neck Sweater that I bought in August.

I bought the grey Herringbone Italian Wool Blend Wide Leg Pants but I’m on the fence if I will keep them since they seem a bit too wide but they could be good for much colder weather. I also bought the grey Chunky Pure Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater in August and can’t wait to wear it too.

I did find these perfect grey Luxe Italian Stretch Flannel Wide Leg Pants for this fall and winter. They also have a matching Stretch Flannel Blazer if you need a suit for work. I ordered the Cashmere Classic-Fit Crewneck Sweater since it’s hard to find good charcoal grey sweaters and it will replace a version I had many years ago that I wore until it fell apart.

I prefer a tone on tone look where my sweaters match my pants because I find it more elongating but will occasionally mix it up. I will also change up my accessories depending on the weather and where I am going that day. Shoes I’ll wear include Chanel slingbacks and white sneakers. I bought these black loafers but they may go back as well since I’m not sure this look is for me but they are very comfortable. You can get a similar slingback look from the Veronica Beard d’Orsay Slingback Pumps that come in a few different colors.

For a bag, I love pairing burgundy like my Hermès Trim Bag with grey or maybe I’ll use my Hermès Kelly Bag. If you missed getting my Khaite Julius Belt, it’s back in stock again.

Depending on the weather, I will either wear my Aureum Gold Plated Link Necklace or tuck an Hermès scarf into my sweater collar. I’m still waiting for the Chunky Hammered Stud Earrings to arrive.

The Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Sensation works well with heavier winter fabrics.

I bought two Max Mara coats for this fall that it looks like I’ll finally be able to wear next week. If you need a new coat, I love this grey Handmade Belted Coat, oatmeal Wool and Cashmere Blend Coat, and this navy Wool Cashmere Wrap Coat.

I will still wear my Weekend Max Mara checked coat this fall and I like these similar options in dark grey Checked Wool, Reversible Fur-Collar Coat, and Wool Blend Coat.

This is for those of you who live in warmer climates or if it gets to 80 degrees again in October. It’s difficult to dress appropriately for the season and calendar while trying not to sweat but last week I paired jeans and blazer last week to attend a film at the New York Film Festival.

I wore old jeans last week but I’m waiting for these new Curvy Vintage Slim-Straight Jeans to arrive but they seem promising. I knew I wanted to wear the ivory Michaela Blazer so I paired it with the grey Ultrafine Merino Ribbed Polo since I thought the light buttons would pick up the color of the fabric. You could also wear the Cashmere Classic-Fit Crewneck Sweater.

I wore a pair of Celine sandals but I just bought these Gabriela Hearst Leather Fisherman Sandals that I found on sale in my size on Matches. They are the perfect not too bare sandal to wear later in the season. The Hermès Les Mains Hermès Nail Enamel in Rouge H  is a good fall pedicure color. You could also wear the tan Leather Loafers. I wore a vintage ivory quilted leather Chanel bag last week but this beige Saint Laurent Medium Quilted Leather Shoulder Bag is very similar.

I wore my Aureum Gold Plated Link Necklace with Pearl Drop Earrings and Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Caramel.

The other blazer I’ve been wearing this fall is the navy Wool Jacket with Gold Buttons. I’ve worn it with the Cashmere Classic-Fit Crewneck Sweater but I also just got neutral Fancy Cashmere Crewneck Sweater which is my favorite weight for under blazers.

I was trying to figure out a pop of red for fall and finally settled on trying the new reedition Lanvin Ballerina Flats after I read they actually have an internal wedge for they aren’t fully flat. I was hoping they would have arrived by now but they have been delayed. Another popular shoe for fall is the Khaite Leather Loafers.

I’ve posted about what I wear for travel before but I’m still asked this question quite often so I thought I would include it again here. I always start with the black Wide-leg Pant in Italian Ponte. They aren’t that wide and the ponte isn’t shiny. They also hold you in while being extremely comfortable. If you want a cropped style pant for a shorter flight, I like the High-Rise Pant in Four-Season Stretch. I pair both with the black Fancy Cashmere Crewneck Sweater which is very soft.

I’ve paired the Wide-leg Pant in Italian Ponte with black Birkenstock Shearling Clogs and white sneakers but I’m wondering if the black Lanvin Ballerina Flats might be a good travel shoe option.

I always use my Khaite Circle Leather Tote Bag for fall and winter travel. In the tote, I always carry Black Cashmere Socks, a black Heidi Wynne Scarf, and eye mask. I just switched to the Pure Silk Contour Sleep Mask which allows for R.E.M. eye movements for better sleep. I also use a blue Leather Passport Cover so I will be less likely to misplace it while traveling.

I also upgraded to the iPhone 15Pro Max last month because it has a better camera for photos while away and I’m very happy I made the change. I also pack a Battery Case for iPhone 15 Pro Max any time I’m going to be out all day in case I need to recharge my phone. Otherwise, I use a Light Green Woven Leather iPhone Case.

Hope this post will help you figure out what to wear this fall despite the wildly fluctuating temperatures.

XOXO,

HC